and obviously our condolences go to her loved ones.’
Even Flora thought it was a good idea.
‘It is too early to tell if the incident is linked to other cases under investigation. However, I can reveal that we have not yet ruled it out.’
Good old Freddie thought it was a great idea.
‘The post-mortem will take place tomorrow, after which the identity of the victim will be revealed and witnesses to the incident will be sought.’
And even Alison agreed.
‘I would like to reiterate that we will catch the person responsible for this crime and bring them to justice. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that we still have not located a six-year-old boy named Archie. His family are desperate for news on their little boy who has now been missing for over twenty-four hours.’
First part done. Now on to the second paragraph about which every expert around her agreed. Every one of them.
‘Thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen, and there will be more for you tomorrow.’
She turned her back and walked into the building, taking out her phone. There was no live broadcast on the news, but the footage would hit the internet in about thirty seconds. Half a minute before Woody blew up her phone.
‘What the hell was that?’ Bryant asked, following her inside.
‘In a minute,’ she said, surprised that the missed calls were from Stacey. Well, she’d have to wait. She scrolled to the number she wanted and waited four seconds for it to be answered by a thin, incredulous voice.
‘Stone, what the?…’
‘Listen carefully, Frost, without making it obvious, meet me around the back of the building.’
‘Stone, I only go round the back of buildings for a smoke or a snog, neither of which I wanna do with—’
‘Just do it, Frost,’ Kim snapped, before ending the call.
‘Okay, now I’m even more confused,’ Bryant said.
‘Go see what Stacey wants and I’ll explain all later.’
She put her phone back in her pocket, aware that the second Woody saw her abbreviated press conference he would be seeking answers, but regardless of the instructions she’d received, the public chastisement had not felt right to her. There was much she wanted to say to this man, preferably with a red-hot poker, but not while he still had possession of a little boy.
She agreed that the killer was awaiting some kind of response from her, and he was going to get one.
Kim heard the rhythmic clicking of the high heels three seconds before Frost came into view.
‘Stone, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing but those folks back there ain’t happy.’
‘Crying on the inside, Frost. Now I need you to do me a favour.’
Her face hardened immediately.
‘Don’t worry, there’s something in it for you.’
‘Go on,’ she said, tipping her head.
‘I want you to write your story, but I want you to add in some quotes from me.’
Frost frowned. ‘I can name you?’
‘You must name me,’ Kim said.
Frost took out her notebook. ‘Okay, Stone, what the hell are you up to?’
‘Write this down. I want you to say that we fear for the safety of an innocent child, that there’s no need for Archie to get hurt, that we understand how Archie has unwittingly become an innocent party. Add that we know his captor doesn’t want to hurt him, we know to him there’s a good reason why he’s doing the things he is and that I would welcome the opportunity to talk to him about it.’
‘Fuck me, Stone, I wish you were this empathetic to folks who weren’t going round murdering folks,’ Frost said with her pen poised.
There wasn’t one ounce of empathy in her for someone who had killed three women in three days. It was a calculated move. If he wanted a parent, she didn’t think harsh, cold disciplinarian was the way to go.
On cue, her phone started to buzz in her pocket.
‘Can you do it, Frost?’
‘Err… yeah, exclusive content from the senior investigating officer on a triple murder case, I’ll do it, but why me?’
‘I read yesterday’s article online. There was no mention of any letters from the killer.’
Frost rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah, sometimes I slip up and do the right fucking thing.’
Kim was grateful that she’d chosen not to divert the direction of the story and had kept the focus on the missing boy, but they still needed to know whose loose lips were going to be kissing their career goodbye. ‘Look, your source…’
Frost looked up and to the left. ‘You wanna tell that